News & Analysis as of

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Contract Terms Enforcement Actions

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Tips on How to Shape Up Your Influencer Advertising Program: The NAD Reviews Skims’ Instagram Posts for Proper Disclosures

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For years now we’ve been blogging about how much the FTC and even the SEC on occasion love scrolling Instagram posts to see what influencer are up to. This post is about another three letter organization who likes to scroll...more

Winstead PC

SEC Renewed Action on Hedge Clauses

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Hedge clauses are provisions in investment advisory agreements that aim to limit an adviser’s liability for certain actions or outcomes. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has expressed the position that...more

BCLP

SEC Again Cracks Down on Companies That Restrict Whistleblowers

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As discussed in our December 15, 2023 client alert, the SEC has waged an aggressive effort to enforce alleged violations of the whistleblower protection rule.  On September 9, 2024, the SEC announced settled charges resulting...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

SEC Takes on Nondisclosure Agreements to Protect Whistleblower Program; Fines Firm $10 Million

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in recent years has taken an aggressive stance against employers over employment agreements that the agency believes impede its whistleblower program—as highlighted by a $10...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

SEC Continues to Police Confidentiality Provisions for Theoretical Whistleblower Suppression

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) levied an $18 million fine against J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC (“JPMS”) for allegedly including overbroad release provisions in settlement agreements. This marks the continuation...more

BakerHostetler

Employers Beware: Broad Confidentiality and Severance Clauses May Violate Whistleblower Protection Laws

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Employers should check their confidentiality and severance agreements for a common oversight that, for some, is becoming a costly error. Recent enforcement activity by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Rule...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

SEC Fines Private Employer for Language in Employee Separation Agreements That Restricted Whistleblower Awards

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently settled charges alleging that a company’s employee separation agreements restricted former employees from receiving monetary awards for reporting securities law...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Recent Whistleblower Enforcement Actions Highlight SEC Focus On Employee Agreements

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In September, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced the settlement of three enforcement actions for violations of SEC whistleblower protection laws. In the actions, the SEC asserted that the...more

Holland & Knight LLP

SEC Settlements Over Whistleblower Protections Pile Up

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As the SEC closed its fiscal year, it filed three separate enforcement actions against companies for purported violations of Rule 21F-17 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, which prohibits persons from impeding...more

Goodwin

SEC Announces the First Enforcement Action under the New Marketing Rule

Goodwin on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced on August 21, 2023 that it has settled with a FinTech registered investment adviser (the “Adviser”) that offers multiple investment strategies, including a...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

SEC enforcement action highlights evolution in SEC’s stance on hedge clauses in advisory agreements

In the second full week of the new year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settled an administrative action against Comprehensive Capital Management (CCM), a registered investment adviser, for, among other...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

SEC Alleges Employer’s Compliance Manual Violates Rule 21F-17

On June 23, 2021, the SEC announced that Guggenheim Securities, LLC (“Company”) agreed to settle charges that it violated Rule 21F-17 by including language in its compliance manual and training materials that allegedly...more

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

SEC Accuses Issuer and CEO of Violating Whistleblower Protection Laws to Silence Investor Complaints

On Nov. 4, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed an amended complaint against Collectors Café and its CEO, Mykalai Kontilai, to add charges against defendants for alleged violations of whistleblower...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Telegram TRO Sends Strong Message to Digital Token Issuers

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On October 11, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) announced it filed a complaint and obtained a temporary restraining order against Telegram Group Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary TON Issuer...more

BCLP

Securities and Corporate Governance Update – October 2019

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This newsletter discusses noteworthy updates, key regulatory decisions and upcoming compliance reminders. In this edition, we review: ...SEC Changes Approach to Shareholder Proposal No-Action Requests ...SEC Issues...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

SEC Continues Crackdown on Employer Whistleblower Restrictions

Takeaways: - SEC is targeting contract terms that appear to restrict contact with the SEC or require employee whistleblowers to waive monetary recoveries. - Express disclosure of these rights in severance...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Employment Law Commentary - Volume 27, Issue 3 - March 2015: Does The Government Think Your Confidentiality Agreements Chill...

INTRODUCTION - Employers routinely incorporate confidentiality provisions into a variety of agreements, including employment, proprietary information, separation and settlement agreements. In an era when many...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

SEC Brings Enforcement Proceeding Relating to Confidentiality Agreements That May Stifle Whistleblowers

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After repeated public statements warning companies that might seek to stifle whistleblowers, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has brought its first enforcement action relating to language in confidentiality...more

Orrick - Employment Law and Litigation

SEC Makes Good on Its Promise to “Un-Muzzle” Employees from Cooperating in SEC Investigations

In a much-anticipated move, the SEC on April 1, 2015 commenced a cease-and-desist action against KBR (formerly Kellogg Brown & Root) alleging its confidentiality agreements violated Dodd-Frank’s whistleblower regulations. KBR...more

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Employer's Overbroad Confidentiality Language Leads to SEC Investigation and Penalty

Most employers have confidentiality provisions in their handbooks, employment agreements, or other employment procedures manuals. Employers might want to take a minute to review those provisions in light of some recent...more

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